ARRSE have partnered with Armadillo Merino to bring you an ARRSE exclusive, generous discount offer on their full price range.
To keep you warm with the best of Merino gear, visit www.armadillomerino.co.uk and use the code: NEWARRSE40 at the checkout to get 40% off!
This superb deal has been generously offered to us by Armadillo Merino and is valid until midnight on the the 28th of February.

alternatives to lead shot ammunition?

LE

This year the ban on using lead shot ammunition comes into force here in Norway. Bit of a bugger as i still have a fair amount of the stuff, still i'm sure i can unload it somewhere

Anyhoo, being the upstanding honest citizen i am i have a few alternatives to chose from, steel shot is the cheapest but i've heard mixed things about it's effectivness, there's also a few other alternatives although somewhat expensive.

Any arrsers have any experience using any of the non-lead shotgun ammo alternatives available out there? Grouse season starts in just under 3 weeks and yours truly needs to do a replen run down to the local gun shop.

Clanker

Don't use steel whatever you do! It'll wear out your barrels quicker than a quick thing, also it's not as effective as it's less dense ergo less range and killing power. Bismuth us good, but like all non-lead replacements expensive. With the ban on lead shot over wetlands in the UK, there are an increasing number of alternatives - try looking on the eley website for a guide.http://www.eleyhawkltd.com/products.html

LE

LE

Cheers Charley, that's what i'd heard about steel, but the 'official' word being put forth by the Norwegian hunting association is that steel is ok if you use a larger shot size than you used to with lead. I've heard of Bismuth, also it's price. Thanks for the link to eley's site i'll take a butchers. Reckon i'll give Bismuth a go, it's not like i'm shooting hundreds of clays or anything. I'll practice with my remaining lead and buy 50 odd bismuth. Should see me right through the first week, mind you if i hold true to form i'll mostly be shooting holes in the air anyway

Old-Salt

Steel shot is awful - it has no energy-dumping characteristics like a softer metal, so it tends to over-penetrate at close range, and loses energy far quicker than lead over distance. You also need a steel proofed gun, which rules out any old English shotgun. I've used the full range of alternatives, and bismuth and tunsten matrix are the better options. Costly though, even if you hand load your own ammo.

War Hero

Check out justcartridges.com - if you e-mail or phone them they will offer some good advice and they mail order as well. Try Lyvale Express Supreme Game Hevishot for grouse or Super Game Hevishot if you want a 32g load. Not cheap, but anything non lead isn't. Good luck with the season.

War Hero

Old-Salt

As said really, although I would definately suggest you to consider reloading if you are going to be using non-lead shot, although its still expensive, it is cheaper, and with a Lee Load All its cheap to start, and its a piece of piss to do. If you want to turn out 1000's of carts, you'll need to spend a fair bit on a decent press, but for the odd 50 here and there the Load All is fine.

LE

Old-Salt

Trouble is comrades, this is the thin end of the Wedge (sorry to our wedgeheaded RE chappies); before long, our masters(the not often right dishonourable ones not the ones at the Met) and the PC morons (this includes those in the met) will soon be stopping you using your weapons in sandy areas (esp Iraq but not Libya) and other trouble spots around the world.
Trouble is you see my camel riding buddies, weapons and ammo not only cost lots of shekels but they also hurt people who then claim against us for the racist act of shooting someone who is trying to kill us, terrible, world opinion will never allow it, you heard it here first!!

LE

The steel shot in shotgun cartridges WILL NOT ERODE THE BARREL - it's mild steel; so if it does, then your shotgun barrel is made of something even softer, like putty.
Over penetration with steel shot is ballox as well - a steel shot carries less kinetic energy than the same size in lead or bismuth: mass x velocity is what matters when shooting game - deformation of the projectile plays little part when shooting birdies - I have never yet gobbed out a deformed No.6 shot whilst feasting on my victims.